A Cat and Mouse Circle

This is a re-post of a circle from Jan. 2014 - Enjoy! One of my favorite parts of homeschooling kindergarten is singing, dancing, and imagining with my children during circle time. I think of circle as a little drama adventure that we go on together. Not everyone does circle time at home and that's fine, but I think a well-written circle can be a joy to share at home!

I've been wanting to write a cat and mouse circle time for a long time.....and I don't know what got into me, but this one is very long! Do feel free to cut it down to a shorter circle or start short and add to it over time. This is an anytime any season circle and might be especially welcome if you want to sing about something other than snow in the winter time. If you are new to circle times you might like to read my introduction to circle time. You can find other circles I've written on this page along with ideas for opening and closing verses. The circle time and song recordings are by Kelly Ehrman and the verses are all traditional or anonymous. Movement suggestions are in italics. Here we go....enjoy!

***

Round about the wood they go, Creeping on the mossy floor, Little mice so softly creeping, While the birds and flowers are sleeping.

Little mice! Little mice! If a footfall they should hear, See them stop in sudden fear. Then, with tiny cries and squeaking, Homeward fly, a refuge seeking, Little mice! Little mice!

Little Mice

{Traditional Welsh Circle Game}

The second verse will be a refrain throughout the circle. Crawl and scurry around the floor for this song. Be sure to stop still at “see them stop” and then quickly scurry all together in a huddle!

Once there lived a quiet mouse, In a little quiet house. When all was quiet as can be, OUT popped he!

Hold up index finger. Cover finger with your other hand. Whisper as quiet as can be. Shout and pop out your finger!

There is such a tiny mouse Living quietly in my house. Out at night he starts to creep, When everyone is fast asleep. But always by the light of day, The mouse quietly, quietly creeps away.

Pinch fingers together to form hand into a mouse shape. Creep fingers around. Pretend to sleep, hands make pillow. Wake up, arms circle overhead for sun. Creep fingers around and behind back.

Here's a little mousie, Peeking through a hole. Peek to the left, Peek to the right. Pull your head back in, There's a cat in sight!

Hands cover each other and one finger pokes out to be the mouse. Wiggle finger to the left. Wiggle finger to the right. Pull finger into fist

***

Sing refrain and scurry about on tiptoe:

Little mice! Little mice! If a footfall they should hear, See them stop in sudden fear. Then, with tiny cries and squeaking, Homeward fly, a refuge seeking, Little mice! Little mice!

Here is a kitty With eyes so pretty And here is her cozy warm bed. When she goes to sleep She doesn't make a peep. When she wakes she meows to be fed.

Get down to all fours like a kitty cat, do the cat stretch (arch backs) and meow. Curl up in a ball to sleep. Pop back, cat stretch and meow

A kitten is hiding under a chair, I looked and looked for her everywhere. Under the table and under the bed, I looked in the corner and then I said, "Come Kitty, come Kitty, I have milk for you." Kitty came running and calling, "Mew, mew."

Have your child hide somewhere in the room while you look around. When you call “come Kitty” your child comes running out!

I have a little kitten, She's black and white and gray. When I try to cuddle her, She always wants to play, So I drag a piece of yarn Across the kitchen floor. She thinks it is a little mouse To chase right out the door.

Play a game of chase with a string! Your child might like to do this on all fours like a cat or just run around. When it’s time to reign it in, continue with refrain...

***

Sing refrain and scurry about on tiptoe:

Little mice! Little mice! If a footfall they should hear, See them stop in sudden fear. Then, with tiny cries and squeaking, Homeward fly, a refuge seeking, Little mice! Little mice!

Five little mice on the pantry floor, This little mouse peeked behind the door. This little mouse nibbled at the cake, This little mouse not a sound did make. This little mouse heard the kitten sneeze. "Ah Choo," sneezed the kitten, And, "Squeak," they all cried, And they found a hole and ran inside.

Creep five fingers out along the floor. Wiggle one finger at a time for each mouse. Wave other hand in the air to be the sneezing kitten. Run the five little mice back along the floor to hide in your lap

Five little mice sat down to spin; Pussy passed by and she peeped in. What are you doing, my little men? Weaving coats for gentlemen. Shall I come in and cut off your threads? No, no, Mistress Pussy, you'd bite off our heads. Oh, no, I'll not; I'll help you to spin. That may be so, but you can't come in!

Little mice! Little mice! If a footfall they should hear, See them stop in sudden fear. Then, with tiny cries and squeaking, Homeward fly, a refuge seeking, Little mice! Little mice!

Five little mice came out to play, Gathering crumbs along the way. Out came a pussycat sleek and fat, And four little mice went scampering back.

Four little mice ... Three little mice... Two little mice...

One little mouse came out to play, Gathering crumbs along the way. Out came a pussycat sleek and fat, And no little mice went scampering back.

Let your fingers scurry around to be the mice. When the pussycat comes out, sway your body back and forth to be the fat cat and tap hands on the ground as footsteps. Scamper fingers to hide behind your back. Repeat, holding up fingers to show how many mice for each verse.

Skip around to this song:

Pussy cat, pussy cat, Where have you been? I’ve been to London To visit the Queen! Pussy cat, pussy cat, What did you there? I frightened a little mouse Under her chair!

{Mother Goose}

Pussy Cat

And now run around to this one:

Three blind mice Three blind mice See how they run See how they run They all ran after the farmer's wife She cut off their tails with a carving knife Did you ever see such a sight in your life As three blind mice.

Repeat as many times as you like and then calm things down with the refrain...

***

Sing refrain and scurry about on tiptoe:

Little mice! Little mice! If a footfall they should hear, See them stop in sudden fear. Then, with tiny cries and squeaking, Homeward fly, a refuge seeking, Little mice! Little mice!

Up the tall white candlestick went little mousey brown Straight to the top he went and then he couldn’t get down So he called “Grandma! Grandma! Grandma!” But grandma was in town. So he curled himself into a ball. And rolled himself down.

Pretend to scurry up a candlestick. Cling to the top of the candlestick and call for Grandma. Make a ball with your hands and then roll them all the way to the floor. Curl into a ball yourself and roll around on the floor!

***

Sing refrain and scurry about on all fours:

Little mice! Little mice! If a footfall they should hear, See them stop in sudden fear. Then, with tiny cries and squeaking, Homeward fly, a refuge seeking, Little mice! Little mice!

You could end the circle here or play the traditional circle game The Farmer’s in the Dell. This is fun to sing while holding hands and skipping or walking in a circle.

The farmer’s in the dell, The farmer’s in the dell, Heigh-ho the derry-o, The farmer’s in the dell.

The farmer takes a wife, The farmer takes a wife, Heigh-ho the derry-o, The farmer takes a wife.

The wife takes a child…. The child takes a nurse…. The nurse takes a cat…. The cat takes a mouse…. The mouse takes the cheese….